Two opposing technologies exist for improving search engine rankings for a website: white hat SEO and black hat SEO strategies. In many old western movies, the good guys were identified by their white hats, while the bad guys wore black. SEO is not that different: White hat or “good SEO” means playing by the established rules, while black hat or “bad SEO” utilizes deceptive or unethical methods to get ahead quickly. This post discusses both strategies — as well as the intermediate gray hat SEO — and explains the importance…